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Nurturing your Lioness Instinct

This blog post is my attempt at connecting two different thoughts/topics I have going on…so bear with me.

First: LIONESS ARISING. Two and a half years ago, I heard Lisa Bevere speak. She was powerful, anointed, and spoke on her newest book, Lioness Arising. That book radically changed me and gave me the courage to continue on the path that I felt like the Lord had called me on; speaking about vaccines. Shortly after reading the book, I started The Lioness Arising Mothers series, where I share mothers’ stories of their vaccine injured children. Through the words in Lisa’s book, I knew the Lord was giving me the permission I needed to fight for truth. He was telling me that the fight didn’t have to always look pretty or nice and that I could still be a Christian woman and fight for truth. When I first read the book Lioness Arising, I had so much stirring in my heart. I had a righteous anger inside me and a strong desire to speak out about it. I will never forget reading these following sentences:

How will you respond when you are fully, dangerously awake?What history will you make? Will you, like the fierce lioness, awaken from a tranquilized state and rise up to defend your family, your community, your world? Are you awake? Even now, what is stirring in your heart?

The world needs you, lovely lioness sister, not to merely wake up, but to give expression to your God-given fierce side. What does it look like for a Christian woman to be fierce? Is it yelling, screaming, clawing, and kicking? There might be a time for that.

That’s when my Lioness Arising Mothers series was born and I haven’t looked back. I have told powerful stories of powerful women and their amazing children. I’ve met these women from all over the country. I am honored to tell their stories. I am honored to defend their truths.

What I didn’t know was that 2 1/2 years later, Lisa Bevere would be calling me. She found my blog series and was inspired by it. She wanted to know more about the subject of these Lioness Arising Mothers. She get’s it. SHE. GET’S. IT. We talked for over an hour on the phone. It was an honor. It was the validation and confirmation that I am doing EXACTLY what God has called me to do. It was an amazingly blessed day for me. The Lord did not have to send Lisa Bevere to confirm that I’m doing what I’ve been called to do, but the Lord is so sweet and loving and kind and gracious that He choose to bless me by personally sending the author of the book to encourage me and pray with me. The Lord always does exceedingly, abundantly above all that we can ask, think, or imagine. I am so blessed to have Lisa as a friend and mentor and look forward to future projects that we will collaborate on together. More on that later!

SECOND: NURTURE

While on the phone with Lisa, she asked me what my prayer was for women everywhere. I shared how my biggest prayer is that women would discover how to trust and follow their instincts. How it is the greatest gift God gives us and how everyday I watch this being stripped from women, especially mothers. I shared how I want women to be filled with the peace that comes from following our intuition and how sad I am to see women constantly living in fear and worry and guilt and shame and regret.

Of course, I am mainly speaking from the point of view of vaccines, well baby visits, and the choices we make for our children. As Lisa and I were discussing the topic of intuition, she said “You HAVE to read my book Nurture. I have a chapter on INTUITION”. A few days later, a box of books arrived. I sat and read the Intuition chapter this morning. I was blown away. I felt like I was reading a book written by a much smarter, wiser, cooler version of me. In this chapter were the words that I have always had stirring in my heart, but did not know how to put down on paper. It taught on everything I have desired to help women understand. I have always had such a strong desire to teach, educate, inspire, and encourage women to FOLLOW THEIR INSTINCT. And now 2 1/2 years later, this author is once again blessing me with the words I needed to help others. Sitting in my living room this morning, reading the chapter on intuition, and reading the words that so beautifully put it all together brought me to another full circle moment.

I started a project a few months back called PROJECT INSTINCT. You can read about it (HERE). I asked 100 mothers the same question and the overwhelming answer was INSTINCT. Reading Lisa’s chapter on Intuition was like connecting my PROJECT to the research behind INSTINCT. Read the Project Instinct post to better understand.

Intuition (noun):The state of being aware of or knowing something without having to discover or perceive it, or the ability to do this 2. Something known or believed instinctively, without actual evidence for it 3. Immediate knowledge of something.

The definition of intuition carries a designation of an immediate sense of understanding. When the answer is presented, it is known and therefore immediately recognized. And undeniable quickening occurs when truth is heard.

I’ve been researching and speaking out about vaccines for 8 years. I’ve been writing about it for about 4. The controversy surrounding vaccines is uglier than politics. There is a never ending conflict between both sides. I think of the many debates I’ve been involved in over the years. Most of the time, it’s not a debate about science or facts, but it’s a debate about a belief system. Vaccines are a philosophy, which is why the topic is met with so much controversy. And almost every single time – the debates become personal. I love what Lisa says in her chapter on Intuition:

“If we make the conflict personal, there will be no true or lasting solution.

I have wasted far too much time, thought, and energy trying to make sense of the senseless…and so have you. Each of us must decide those days are over. Daughters, you will come up against many problems and conflicts. You may be tempted to take many of them personally. I implore you, fight the temptation. These issues and asides will never be successfully navigated from a personal perspective, so don’t make it personal”.

I think of the autism moms I have grown to know and love and advocate for, and how personal it is for them when someone tries to tell them that what they know to be exactly true about their child is false. And it hurts my heart for them. Or when a mother is belittled my her pediatrician for choosing not to vaccinate based on her instinct. It becomes personal. This fight for truth is so much greater though.

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rules and authorities of the unseen world, against might powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places –Ephesians 6:12

No problem can be solved on the same level at which you meet it. -Albert Einstein

I believe this battle is spiritual. And this chapter goes into much greater detail than what I’m covering in this simple blog post. As much as I want to share every word from the chapter on Intuition, I can only encourage you to read it. It’s not at all a book about vaccines. But it is everything I have ever believed to be true when it comes to intuition and the great big vaccine debate. And as my favorite doctor, the virtuous hero Dr. Wakefield says: “To the parents I would say, trust your instinct above all else. When considering how to vaccinate your children, read, get educated, and demand fully informed consent and answers to your questions. When you are stonewalled or these answers are not to your satisfaction, trust your instinct. I say this as someone who has studied and engaged in the science and who has become aware of the limitations of our knowledge and understanding of vaccine safety issues. Maternal instinct, in contrast, has been a steady hand upon the tiller of evolution; we would not be here without it”

I’ll end with a few more quotes from the chapter on INTUITION from the book Nurture.

“Some of us have quenched the light of our God-given feminine intuition and it needs to reignited”

“Intuition is a spiritual faculty and does not explain, but simply points the way”

Did you know the Latin breakdown of intuition (in and tueor) yields “Inward tutor”? How cool is that?

Given to us by the Holy Spirit! (1 John 2: 27)

“When truth is spoken the inward tutor, Holy Spirit, confirms it to you and in you. You will feel as though light and strength, truth and freedom are being poured out upon you”. Intuition is given to us from God.

“The gift that follows intuition is the gift of peace of mind”. (Wow!)

“The peace God gives us (after following our instinct) abides even in the midst of turmoil and raging storms. There may be a few drops that remind you what is coming against you, but you are safe from the deluge that would seek to overwhelm you”.

“Unfathomable peace that surpasses our natural ability to understand”. Wow! This is the gift that follows intuition!

“To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” –Luke 1:79

“We must steward truth well, but truth without inner peace does not work”

“Peace fosters an atmosphere for discernment to flourish and this insight is invaluable. Intuition creates a level of awareness and discernment that equips you make a wise decision”

Wow! Wow! Wow! The foreword to the book Nurture reads:

“This book is dedicated to every woman, regardless of age, who longs to make her connection with other women and touch the world she lives in but does not know how. You, beautiful one, are an answer, not a problem and we need both you and your contribution. May these words help facilitate what you need to begin to see your life enlarged on every level. May the God-gifted treasure within you flourish as you find your voice and place as one among the many women who even now watch for you”.

If you are a mother reading this post and struggling with trusting your intuition, or looking to give and get what you need to flourish, please read the book Nurture. Find other women to surround yourself with who will validate your intuition. Find a pediatrician who will respect your decisions. My prayer is that fear and worry would be replaced by peace. Instinct is the most precious thing we own. No-one can take that from you. Guard it well.

I have a friend who has a 3 mo…she is breast feeding but she has psoriatic arthritis and is seeking medicinal options that are safe for breast feeding. I would like to tell her about essential oils but I don’t know which ones would help that? do you have any insight? P.S. I am going to be taking advantage of your promotion this month!!! I can’t wait to get my oils!!!!

The Gentles Babies book (that you will get for FREE from me) is an excellent book to learn which oils are safe for pregnancy, breastfeeding, infants, and young children. There are a lot of oils safe for breast feeding and that can help tremendously with arthritis. Can’t wait for you to join my YL family 🙂 When you do, I’ll add you to my facebook oil group which is an excellent resource.

Instinct (and a lot of reading) is the primary basis behind my refusal to vaccinate my son. It’s hard to use that in a disagreement though. People in favor of vaccines tend to scoff at it, which is why I generally don’t discuss it, but nothing I’ve read has been strong enough to make me override my instinct against vaccinations for my son.

This may be too long to qualify as a “comment” but I’ve wanted to write to you since first discovering your blog several months ago. I’m not quite sure how I first found you, but I believe that “coincidences are God’s way of remaining anonymous” so I have no doubt that it is part of His plan. You often refer to books and resources that I have read and — as you so beautifully expressed when referring to Lisa Bevere’s book — I often feel about your posts that I am reading something written “by a much smarter, wiser, cooler” (and in your case, younger) “version of me!”

I am the older (age 62) mother of three adult daughters who were born in 1978, 1980 and 1988. As a young mom, I chose to follow my instinct when it came to my daughters and my own health — even when it went against the “norm” which it often did! With no internet In the late 70’s and 80’s, it wasn’t easy to find like-minded moms or “alternatives”, but I was determined; and although it was a lonely path to follow, I trusted my personal beliefs — my God inspired instinct, “my inward tutor” — which led me to books by Lendon Smith and Robert Mendelsohn, Harris Coulter and Barbara Loe Fisher, Doris Rapp, Jethro Kloss, Paavo Airola and more; and eventually to homeopathic and naturopathic physicians. You can read my story at http://www.simplesolutionsforhealth.net/about.

You refer to a “peace” that comes when you trust your instinct. I learned a long time ago that when I prayerfully tap into my inner wisdom and follow my instinct, I find an inner peace which I believe is God letting me know that I am on the right tract. Caving in to external pressure and going against my instinct, leads to a disturbing unrest.

A mother’s instinct is so powerful and yet we live in a world where fear and “medical terrorism” as my homeopathic physician calls it belittles that God-given inner wisdom I know how difficult it is for a mom to follow her instinct when confronted with conventionally trained doctors and laypeople who all too often think of doctors as gods. (I walked out of doctor’s offices who basically told me I was crazy. ) I also know how painful it is for moms who have gone against their instinct and live with regrets.

I agree with your stand on vaccines. When I had my two older daughters in 1978 and 1980, there were only a few recommended vaccines — DPT, Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella and my older daughters did get those vaccines. Back then, I didn’t question the pediatrician, despite the fact that I, my four siblings, plus cousins, classmates and friends all contracted those diseases and recovered without complications. In the 40’s and 50’s those diseases were a normal part of childhood — a right of passage — that our mothers just accepted. As a result, we kids got the benefit of life-long immunity. Had I known when I permitted my daughters to be vaccinated against Measles, Mumps and Rubella that the vaccines did not offer life-long immunity as I had been led to believe, I would have refused them. I also permitted my two older daughters to participate in a chicken-pox vaccine study where one got the vaccine and one a placebo — a decision that I regret. By the time I was pregnant with my youngest in 1988, I was older and a little wiser. The recommended vaccine schedule, although less than it is today; was on the rise; and that’s when I started my vaccine research. It didn’t take long to learn that those diseases were on the decline before the advent of vaccines and the more I learned, the clearer it became that the negative side effects of vaccines far outweighed the benefits. I learned that in other countries, vaccines were delayed until a child was at least one year and had a chance to develop a stronger immune system; so I refused all vaccines until my baby was one year and then agreed to DT and, with some hesitation, to polio vaccine. In 1992, when I wanted to enroll my daughter in nursery school, I submitted a statement expressing my beliefs and my daughter was able to start school without challenges.

I have no doubt that healthy lifestyle choices helped my children enjoy good health and offset the ill effects of the vaccines they did receive. Knowing what I now about vaccines, combined with the current ridiculous number of recommended vaccines, I would refuse all vaccines, perhaps with the exception of tetanus. I can not comprehend how anyone could think that injecting a small child with 36 vaccines before the age of 2 or 49 before the age of 6 is a healthy thing to do!

When I was a young mom struggling to find alternatives, I promised myself that one day I would share what I have learned (and continue to learn) with others — especially young moms. I write a very simple blog at http://www.simplesolutionsforhealth.net; and hopefully in my own simple way I am making things a bit easier for young moms and some older ones too! I often share your blog with others and will continue to do so.

In conclusion Jessica, I want to tell you how much I respect and applaud you for giving moms the encouragement and support they need to follow their instinct. You and your beautiful family are in my prayers. God bless . . .

Wow! Wow! Wow! Thank-you so much for taking the time to share your story. What a refreshing breath of fresh air! I love learning from older women. I love the wisdom and maturity that you offered to me today. Thank-you!